Those who reincarnate must die.

Outside the gate lay a desolate and dilapidated oriental town, with its blue bricks and green tiles, exuding an antique charm. Only a few streets stretched out in a crisscross pattern, with rows of one- or two-story detached houses forming the residential area. The main street in the town center, however, was composed of two- or three-story "high-rise buildings."

At this moment, however, the blue bricks and red pillars were covered with unknown plants, blooming with flowers of various colors; the streets were full of rotten carriages, overturned stalls, rusty metal tools, and collapsed brick houses; occasionally, a strangely shaped little animal would hop by.

...The ground was overgrown with weeds...Although it was covered with human creations, there were clearly no signs of human activity for a long time...

This was once a beautiful town, belonging to Qingyang County, Ningzhou of the Great Lu Dynasty, and was called Anning Town!

This is a small town in the East still in the Middle Ages. In this world, the ancient civilization of the East has not been ravaged by foreign tribes and powerful nations, nor has its scientific development been restricted by corrupt scholars and incompetent rulers.

In this world, the East invented the steam engine earlier than the West, triggering the Industrial Revolution. Production efficiency increased dramatically, various technologies developed rapidly, steam locomotives were even manufactured, railways were laid between counties, and exchanges with the Western world deepened, leading to the exchange of technology and completely transforming people's lifestyles…

However, the dramatic changes in the production structure did not lead to serious social problems in the Great Lu Dynasty! This was mainly due to three reasons:

First, behind this technological revolution was the support of a powerful dynasty in its heyday! Large factories all over the country were controlled by the imperial court, which established the "Industrial Manufacturing Bureau" for unified management. The workers were all government employees and were not exploited; on the contrary, it was an enviable profession.

Secondly, there is a unique mineral resource in this world called fire crystal. This is a special mineral that can release a large amount of heat energy when activated. After processing, it can be used as a highly efficient energy source, greatly reducing production costs.

Third, there is a special group of people in this world.

Some of them can lift massive boulders, some can move at speeds imperceptible to the naked eye, some can soar freely in the sky, and some can dive into the deep sea, not only breathing underwater but also swimming faster than fish...

That's right, this world is a world where supernatural forces exist!

Moreover, this power is not uncommon; on average, one in a hundred people is born with extraordinary abilities. It is thanks to this group of exceptional individuals that the world has been able to steadily progress!

This is an era where swords and guns coexist, and trains and horses race against each other!

This is a world where superhumans and mortals cooperate, and monsters and gods coexist!

The chivalrous outlaw, carrying a ghost-head saber in his left hand and a revolver in his right, was about to raise his gun when the scholar-like man with a turban on his head opened his mouth and spat out a large fireball.

The postman rode a fine horse through the mountains and switched to a bicycle when he reached the towns. However, when there were urgent and important documents, he would hand them over directly to his colleague who could fly. The journey from the border fortress to the capital would take less than a day!

The factory workers, while discussing legends of fox spirits and female ghosts, tightened screws on the ship. But when they encountered large parts weighing thousands of kilograms, the tallest guy in the factory would step forward, lift the massive iron lump that ten men couldn't budge with one hand, jump onto the workbench two meters high, and tighten it perfectly... However, this skilled worker didn't earn more than others, because he often overtightened the screws, deforming perfectly good parts and always having to compensate for the damage...

In such a prosperous dynasty, Anning Town was just an inconspicuous little town.

It's not too far from Qingyang County, built along the river. Although it's small and not as bustling as the county town, it's located on a major transportation route with a station and docks. You can also see some of the novelties that are popular in big towns here.

People are enthusiastic about reading newspapers every day. Although there's only one newspaper in town, the dedicated reporters write new articles daily, bringing the latest news from the big city to the townspeople. There are also frequent opera troupes and circuses, and occasionally, performances by people with special abilities, adding to the enjoyment of life.

People are keen to follow the trends of the county town, living a leisurely life, neither as busy as city dwellers nor as isolated as those in more remote rural areas...

In short, this is a peaceful and prosperous town where people live and work in peace and contentment, just as its name suggests.

This is also Zhang Lang's hometown.

Zhang Lang is also one of the superhumans.

However, his ability, while very practical, is rather unremarkable.

That is its extremely strong self-healing and regeneration ability.

In order to manage the people with special abilities that could be found everywhere, the imperial court established the "Special Abilities Bureau".

Babies born in this world are usually examined to see if they have any signs of supernatural abilities. If they are confirmed to have supernatural abilities, they must be registered with the Supernatural Abilities Department so that their whereabouts can be monitored at any time.

Generally speaking, babies with special abilities are noticeably different from ordinary babies. Some have unique physical structures, such as extra cheeks or a tail, etc.

Some babies, however, will unconsciously unleash their innate powers, since they don't hide them. A hungry, telekinetic baby will instinctively grab its mother's hair; a baby who can breathe fire will instinctively spew flames when it gets emotionally agitated and cries loudly…

But Zhang Lang is different. On the surface, he has nothing special about him, and his regenerative ability is not visible except when he is injured... So who would be so cruel as to harm an infant?

If this were in the capital or a county town, they might be more meticulous in cutting and checking, but the government tests tens of thousands of babies every day, 99% of whom are ordinary people. Newborns in a small town might look fine at first glance, so they are easily overlooked... Even if they are mistaken, such supernatural abilities that cannot be demonstrated generally pose no threat.

In short, Zhang Lang thus became a fugitive from the Supernatural Abilities Division and survived as an ordinary person.

To be honest, even Zhang Lang himself didn't discover his own abilities for a long time...

It's inevitable for children to bump and bruise themselves. Zhang Lang was once a restless, mischievous kid, but he was naturally gifted with exceptional athleticism. He rarely fell while running and jumping, and he never suffered any serious injuries. Occasionally, he would scrape his knee, but it would heal before he could even get up, looking as if it were just covered in a little dirt. So, in his memory, he seemed to have never bled...

When he was twelve, his parents took him and his younger sister Zhang Ya, who was five years younger than him, on a trip. On their way home by steam train, they unfortunately encountered the Bureau of Supernatural Abilities chasing a powerful fugitive. The battle between the two sides affected the train, causing a major accident.

In the instant the train overturned, Zhang Lang only had time to protect his younger sister. By the time he realized what was happening, his parents had already been crushed to death by the deformed carriage. His sister, protected by him, had no external injuries, but was knocked unconscious by the shockwave. As for himself, a steel bar had pierced through his thigh…

In Zhang Lang's memory, this was the first time he had been seriously injured. He even thought he would bleed to death... But in order to save his sister's life, he endured the excruciating pain and pulled out his injured thigh. It was then that he witnessed his wound healing...

It turns out I'm also a superhuman, and a regenerative one at that—something I'd never heard of before!

After being rescued, Zhang Lang decided to conceal his abilities. Although young, he knew that such a combat-ready ability might lead to him being conscripted by the imperial court for special tasks. His parents were dead; only he could take care of his younger sister…

For his younger sister's sake, Zhang Lang dropped out of school and worked as an apprentice at a machine shop in town during the day, processing various parts for the factory. At night, he would go out to work, sometimes loading and unloading at the dock, sometimes working as a night watchman at a shop. He did heavy labor every day to support his sister's education.

Although to outsiders, the burden of life seemed far too heavy for a teenager, Zhang Lang himself did not find it particularly difficult.

Firstly, Zhang Langyuan was not as delicate as ordinary people. His regenerative ability not only provided him with a near-immortal body, but also greatly enhanced his stamina. As long as he had enough food to replenish his energy, he could work at a high intensity for a long time without getting tired, and he could also stay awake for several days in a row and still be full of energy. This allowed him, at a young age, to take on high-intensity work that even adults could not bear and earn a fairly considerable income.

Secondly, his younger sister was very intelligent and well-suited for studying. Her essays were praised even by the school teachers and were displayed in the corridor as model essays. Zhang Lang was very proud of this and specially copied a copy, which he would take out and read to everyone he met. For the sake of the outstanding Xiaoya, and for the Zhang family to produce a female scholar, he felt that no amount of hardship or toil was too much.

And so, year after year passed, and finally, Xiao Zhanglang survived the most difficult period and became Da Zhanglang. Because of his hard work, after completing his apprenticeship, he was directly recommended by his master to work in a factory on the outskirts of town. He had a permanent position, a stable job, and a higher salary, which made life much easier for the brother and sister.

Xiaoya, on the other hand, lived up to expectations. A few years later, she graduated from the higher school and, with her intelligence and excellent writing skills, got a job at the only newspaper in town.

This is a respectable job with a high income, no heavy physical labor, and the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. It would be best to find him a suitable brother-in-law as well... Thinking of the bright future, Zhang Lang was genuinely happy for Xiao Ya. On the night she was accepted by the newspaper, this older brother, unusually generous, took her to the most expensive restaurant in town, Zhiweizhai, intending to celebrate with a good meal...

But that one night became Zhang Lang's inescapable nightmare...

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